Subject: [Tweeters] Black-headed Gull-Grant, Okanogan, and Lincoln Counties
Date: Dec 30 19:30:22 2007
From: Doug Schonewald - dschone8 at donobi.net


Hi Tweets,

Late Saturday I received a call from Randy Hill about the Black-tailed
(later revised to Black-headed Gull) in Electric City. I received the call
during a wedding dinner for my son and his new wife in Coeur d' Alene, ID.

Priorities were quickly put into order and we rushed from CDA, driving
through a snow storm and arriving home in Moses Lake late Saturday evening.

With the late arrival in Moses Lake I slept late on Sunday and called Randy
at about 7:45 AM to see if he was interested in making the chase.

We left Moses Lake around 9:00 AM and arrived in Electric City around 11:30
AM. A quick perusal of the gulls at Electric City revealed no Black-headed
Gull. Another stop at North Dam Rest Area in Grand Coulee was also
unproductive. Our next stop was at the elevated overview above Grand Coulee
Dam. Still we had no Black-headed Gull. Disappointment set in as I have had
better success chasing rarities on the coast than in my own county.

We stopped at Cole's Park in Coulee Dam for a bit and decided to try for the
gull again. We stopped at the elevated overview on way back again. A quick
perusal of the gulls on the booms showed no Black-headed Gull. Then we both
noticed a small gull on the water near the Crescent Bay Boat Launch. The
bird flew and we immediately were able to see it was either a Black-headed
Gull or a Bonaparte's Gull. Views of the underwings showed dark primaries
and pale secondaries and we knew we had the bird. Confirmation occurred when
the bird was relocated on the booms near mid-lake. As we viewed the bird it
lifted off with another gull and flew on a thermal to above the ridge line,
crossing the river to the Okanogan side. Both birds then began to fly
northward following the river. The Black-headed Gull continued to fly
upriver, crossing into Lincoln County until we lost sight of the gull.

For anyone wishing to chase this bird I would not give up. I think the bird
may have gone to the logs booms at Spring Canyon Campground in Lincoln
County (about 2-3 miles upriver from Grand Coulee) as I have seen many gulls
resting on these booms in winter. Check all of the booms around Electric
City, Grand Coulee, and at Spring Canyon.

The bird may still hang around. Rumor has it that a Bonaparte's Gull was
reported on the Grand Coulee Christmas Bird Count and it is possible with
the horrible weather during that CBC that the bird may have actually been
the Black-headed Gull and not a Bonaparte's Gull. Besides, where else can it
go right now?

Cheers

Doug Schonewald
Moses Lake, WA
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.486 / Virus Database: 269.17.12/1203 - Release Date: 12/30/2007
11:27 AM